Getting A Running Start On Race Season

That means one thing for runners: It's time to lace up the shoes and get out there.

But before you drop a bundle, there are important things to know about your feet so you'll cruise, not limp, across the finish line.

First and foremost: size.

Know how big your feet are, then order a half-size up. Do you wear a size 8 dress shoe? Then a size 8.5 running sneaker is right for you. According to Stephanie Blozy, owner of Fleet Feet Sports in West Hartford, your feet expand while you run. An extra half-size prevents blisters and black toenails.

Second, know what kind of arch you have.

Is it a high or flat arch? Rigid or Flexible? There's an easy way to test for this at home. Wet your feet, and walk across a brown paper bag. How much of the foot you see tells you what type of arch you have. Seeing a lot of foot? You have a flat arch.

Only seeing the ball of the foot and the heel? You have a very high arch. Seeing the ball of the foot, the heel and some of the outside edge? Your foot is neutral.

To test whether your foot is rigid or flexible, look at your feet while going from a seated position to a standing one. If your foot appears to flatten and lengthen, you have a flexible arch. If it doesn't change, your arch is rigid.

Third, know how you run.

The experts at Fleet Feet do this by videotaping customers while they run on a treadmill, then taking a look at their stride. At home, you can do this by looking at how you wear out the soles your shoes.

Are your shoes worn on the outside edge? You're a supinator who rolls your foot outward when you run.

Are your shoes worn on the inside edge? You're an overpronator who rolls your foot inward when you run.

Are your shoes worn evenly because you're running in the middle of your foot? You're wearing the right running shoe.

It's also important to keep track of how many miles you're putting on your shoes, and know the right time to buy new ones. Blozy says a good pair of running shoes will last 300 to 500 miles. For the average person who runs about three to five days a week, that means buying new shoes about every six months.

A more serious marathon runner may need to purchase shoes every 10 weeks. The only thing worse than running on old, worn-out shoes is running on brand new ones.

Runners preparing for the Oct. 9 Hartford Marathon should stick with whatever they're running in now. Typically, you want to head into a marathon with no more than 100 miles on your shoes. If you're planning on running the Manchester Road Race Nov. 10, this is a great time to learn more about your feet and start shopping around.